Unplugged Vacations Appeal to Majority of Americans, but Obstacles Remain, According to Alamo Rent A Car’s 5th Annual Family Vacation Survey

Work and Social Media Pressures May Be Contributing to the Trend

ST. LOUIS – March 5, 2019 – Do you feel “always on” even when you’re supposed to be on vacation? If so, you’re not alone, and according to the fifth annual 2019 Alamo Rent A Car Family Vacation Survey*, a growing number of Americans are going back to basics with a simple idea: Unplugging from work, devices and social media during vacation.

For the fifth year in a row, survey respondents ranked “spending quality time together” as the number one benefit of traveling as a family. However, the pressures of work and life can get in the way. Approximately three in five workers (61 percent) put pressure on themselves to work while on family vacation, up from 59 percent in the 2018 survey. In addition, 27 percent of families say they sometimes feel pressured to post photos of their vacation on social media to show they’re having a good time (up from 20 percent in last year’s survey). These factors may be contributing to 41 percent of families saying they often need additional time off to “recover” from their vacations, up from only 29 percent just a year ago.

“Family vacations are a time to relax, reflect and spend time with those closest to us. But for many families, our constantly connected culture can be a real obstacle to achieving that goal,” said Frank Thurman, vice president of marketing for Alamo Rent A Car. “Outside pressures seem to be distracting many of us from making the most of our vacations, and our data shows that this has given rise to the very appealing notion of an unplugged vacation.”

Unplugged Vacations Have Broad Appeal

Given the constant connectivity, it’s perhaps not surprising that Americans are showing signs of wanting to switch off and spend more quality time with their families. Most workers (54 percent) would prefer to completely unplug from work while on vacation and nearly half of social media users (48 percent) sometimes wish they could take a vacation from social media. Overall, an overwhelming 91 percent of families find the idea of an “unplugged” family vacation appealing.

Many are doing it – and enjoying the rewards. Fifty-six percent of social media users say they use family vacations as a time to take a break from social media. More than a third of families (37 percent) have gone a step further and actually committed to unplugging from computers and mobile devices altogether while on vacation; of that group, 92 percent were successful. The benefits to families who committed to an unplugged vacation are clear: 41 percent enjoyed themselves more, 40 percent had better conversations, 38 percent felt more relaxed and 36 percent felt closer as a family.

Pressure for Perfect “Insta-Cation” May Be Contributing to Unplugged Trend

Social media use – both for vacation planning and while traveling – is on the rise. And while it has many helpful benefits, it can also have negative effects that may be at least partially fueling the appeal of spending vacations “off-the-grid.” Nearly half of families (49 percent) have decided where to go or what to do on vacation based on photos they’ve seen on social media, and nearly a third (28 percent) have planned their vacation simply based on how their photos would look on social media. Both figures are up significantly (10 percentage points and 12 percentage points, respectively) over a year ago and are the highest since Alamo’s survey began tracking the trend in 2017.

While on vacation, 21 percent of social media users say that they log on more than usual, compared to 15 percent in the 2018 survey. And while more than half of users find social platforms beneficial in keeping family and friends updated (58 percent) or to record fun memories (55 percent) r, a third (34 percent) admit that they post their vacation photos on social media simply to “show off” the places they visited and the things they did (up from 27 percent a year ago). For others, social media causes anxiety during a time meant for fun: 21 percent admitted feeling concerned when followers don’t like or comment on their vacation posts. A third (33 percent) say they’ve seen social media actually ruin a family vacation, citing examples such as too much time spent on the phone (42 percent), arguments or hurt feelings (24 percent), and even letting would-be robbers know when they’re out of the house (5 percent) or catching a cheating spouse (2 percent).

In an effort to help vacationing families disconnect from their devices, Alamo has introduced a “Vacation Unplugged” toolkit on its Scenic Route travel hub. Comprised of how-to articles from experts, humorous out-of-office messaging options, a family pledge to unplug, lock screen reminders and more, the toolkit is designed to help families realize all the benefits of unplugging during their next trip.

“As the leading car rental brand serving vacationing families around the world, Alamo’s mission is to provide our customers with exceptional value that extends beyond a great car rental experience,” Thurman added. “We’re also committed to helping families plan and enjoy their vacations, while focusing on what matters most – one another.”

Other notable trends identified by the 2019 Alamo Family Vacation Survey included:

After a Decline in Last Year’s Survey, Vacation Shaming is Back

Since 2016, the Alamo Family Vacation Survey has tracked the phenomenon of “vacation shaming” in the workplace – the tendency of co-workers, supervisors and others to make workers feel shame or guilt for taking time off to go on vacation. This year’s results show a resurgence of vacation shaming:

In Alamo’s 2019 survey, 48 percent of workers said they have felt vacation shamed – an increase from the 2018 survey (41 percent).

More respondents thought their co-workers were serious when they engaged in vacation-shaming activities (50 percent, compared with 41 percent in the 2018 survey).

According to this year’s survey, 28 percent indicated that they have taken a shorter vacation and 26 percent have taken fewer vacations because of being shamed, up from 24 percent and 21 percent, respectively, the prior year.

More than a third of workers (36 percent) admit they vacation shame others at work (up from 27 percent in the 2018 survey). Alarmingly, more than half (53 percent) say they’re serious about it (up from 44 percent and the highest percentage in four years).

Workers are Leaving Vacation Days on The Table – A Consequence of Vacation Shaming?

Those with unused vacation days are more likely to feel vacation shame (66 percent) than those who used all their paid time off (36 percent).

Only 45 percent of workers who receive paid vacation used all their vacation days, compared to 51 percent reported in the 2018 survey.

Those who don’t use all their vacation days are more likely to feel the need to justify why they’re taking vacation (59 percent) versus those who used all their paid time off (35 percent).

Those with unused vacation days (52 percent) are more likely to vacation shame others than those who used all their paid time off (27 percent).

For in-depth results of the 2019 Alamo Family Vacation Survey, visit Alamo.com.

*The 2019 Alamo Family Vacation Survey was conducted from Jan. 2-12, 2019, with 1,502 adults from the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The survey was fielded using the Research Now online consumer panel. At the time of the survey, participants had to have been at least 18 years of age or older; be married/in a domestic partnership or have a child/guardian under the age of 22; and have taken one or more trips with their immediate family and/or their extended family in the past five years. Age and gender data is reflective to the adult population based on U.S. Census data. Generations are defined in accordance with Pew Research’s parameters.

About Alamo Rent A Car

Founded in 1974, Alamo Rent A Car – the largest car rental provider to international travelers visiting North America – offers low rental rates and a hassle-free customer experience at the most popular travel destinations throughout the world. In addition, Alamo customers in the U.S. are able to conveniently choose their own vehicles, based upon their advance reservation and requested car class, and then simply drive away from the airport. Alamo is a recognized technology innovator, with the industry’s first online check-in system since 2005, as well as more than 225 self-service kiosks at 71 U.S. locations, which earned it the “Extra Mile Award” from Budget Travel magazine in 2007. Alamo also serves as the official rental car of Walt Disney World® Resort and Disneyland® Resort.